Clemson lands QB transfer from Stanford

After graduating from Stanford University in March with a degree in management science and engineering – and a year of college eligibility remaining – quarterback David Olson committed to Clemson Wednesday while on a visit to campus, giving the Tigers a quarterback to replace the departing and dismissed Chad Kelly.

Olson, a 6-foot-3, 218-pound native of Columbia, will be eligible to play at Clemson this fall, joining freshman Deshaun Watson and sophomore Nick Schuessler on the depth chart behind new starter Cole Stoudt.

He saw action in just one game at Stanford.

He passed for 1,857 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for five touchdowns as a senior at Irmo High School in 2009, and he also lettered in lacrosse and rugby. Louisville, Harvard and Princeton were among schools to offer him scholarships.

His father, Bruce, played quarterback at Minnesota.

His older brother Aram played fullback at Ohio State before an injury cut short his career.

A special tie with Clemson's outgoing quarterback, Tajh Boyd, meanwhile, could give the Tigers an edge with a recently offered Class of 2016 prospect, Robbie Robinson (5-10, 167).

The cornerback hails from the same school that sent Boyd to the Tigers, Phoebus High in Hampton, Va., and Robinson said he often speaks with Boyd when the NFL Draft prospect visits his old home in Virginia.

Clemson and Penn State offered Robinson on the same day a few weeks ago, and Wisconsin, Georgia Tech and Iowa have offered since.

He earned all-region honors as a sophomore defensive back and punt returner, recording 80 tackles and four interceptions while scoring seven touchdowns on returns. He said he's been hand-timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

His brother, Daquan Romero, is a rising senior linebacker at the University of Virginia, the first school to offer Robinson in March of his freshman year of high school, but Robinson said that doesn't give the Cavaliers an edge.

"There's really no pull with that," Robinson said. "We're two different people with two different interests, so I'm bound to go anywhere in the country. There are no favorites at the moment."

But Clemson is a program he's admired since he was in elementary school, before Boyd played there, and the Tigers figure to be a lasting player in his pursuit.

He's been in touch with Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, and he picked up his Clemson offer from defensive backs coach Mike Reed

"They see me as a game-changer defensively and in the return game, and he said I'm good on the offensive side of the ball – a complete game-changer," Robinson said. "I'm looking forward to visiting."